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Israel uses similar defence systems in all missiles,
so only one Israeli air defence test was in news.
Iron Dome test was sucessfull and an air defence system.
Indian Navy Developments & Discussions
- Thread starter .v0id
- Start date
so only one Israeli air defence test was in news.
Iron Dome test was sucessfull and an air defence system.
Coast Guard, Navy ill-equipped
Coast Guard, Navy ill-equipped
KOCHI: At a time when high-level coastal security review meetings are frequently taking place in the country’s capital, the security scenario down Kerala’s coastal belt has gone haywire due to the inefficiency of the Navy and the Coast Guard.
The latest incident of intrusion by a foreign yacht off the Kochi coast on Friday night has cast shadow over the existing coastal surveillance system and has brought to light the inefficiency of the Coast Guard and the Navy.
According to the Central Industrial Security Force(CISF) officials, the French yacht with two foreigners onboard managed to come close to the Cochin Port from the high seas without being noticed by the coast guard, the Navy and the other security agencies.
The Coast Guard and the Navy came to know about the incident only after officials of the Central Industrial Security Force(CISF) at Cochin Port noticed the yacht which was anchored near the Port. Subsequently, CISF officials took the two foreigners into custody.
Ironically, it was only a month ago that the Navy, the Indian Air Force, the Coast Guard, the Kerala Police, the security wing of the shipyard, the CISF and the Customs Department jointly conducted a two-day coastal security exercise, styled `Triton’ off the Kochi coast to prepare themselves to meet any eventuality if an incursion takes place.
When enquired about the incident, senior Coast Guard officials said that they do not have the required manpower and vessels to monitor the entire coastal belt of the State.
“We have only two vessels, which are currently engaged in rescue operations after around 150 fishing boats went missing in the Arabian sea. We have been doing our best with the limited facilities we have for coastal surveillance.
At times we have to devote ourselves more on rescue operations,” a Coast Guard official said and added that as far as Kochi was concerned, a lot of foreign yachts visit the Part and it was impossible for the Coast Guard to check each and every yacht.
Highly placed sources in the Police Department said that coastal surveillance would get a short in the arm once the coastal police station comes up in Kochi.
They said that construction of the coastal police station in Kochi had been completed and it was likely to be inaugurated on November 21.
“We have received two hightech interceptor boats. Coastal security will be enhanced once the police starts patrolling, in coordination with the other agencies concerned,” the officials said.
Coast Guard, Navy ill-equipped
Coast Guard, Navy ill-equipped
KOCHI: At a time when high-level coastal security review meetings are frequently taking place in the country’s capital, the security scenario down Kerala’s coastal belt has gone haywire due to the inefficiency of the Navy and the Coast Guard.
The latest incident of intrusion by a foreign yacht off the Kochi coast on Friday night has cast shadow over the existing coastal surveillance system and has brought to light the inefficiency of the Coast Guard and the Navy.
According to the Central Industrial Security Force(CISF) officials, the French yacht with two foreigners onboard managed to come close to the Cochin Port from the high seas without being noticed by the coast guard, the Navy and the other security agencies.
The Coast Guard and the Navy came to know about the incident only after officials of the Central Industrial Security Force(CISF) at Cochin Port noticed the yacht which was anchored near the Port. Subsequently, CISF officials took the two foreigners into custody.
Ironically, it was only a month ago that the Navy, the Indian Air Force, the Coast Guard, the Kerala Police, the security wing of the shipyard, the CISF and the Customs Department jointly conducted a two-day coastal security exercise, styled `Triton’ off the Kochi coast to prepare themselves to meet any eventuality if an incursion takes place.
When enquired about the incident, senior Coast Guard officials said that they do not have the required manpower and vessels to monitor the entire coastal belt of the State.
“We have only two vessels, which are currently engaged in rescue operations after around 150 fishing boats went missing in the Arabian sea. We have been doing our best with the limited facilities we have for coastal surveillance.
At times we have to devote ourselves more on rescue operations,” a Coast Guard official said and added that as far as Kochi was concerned, a lot of foreign yachts visit the Part and it was impossible for the Coast Guard to check each and every yacht.
Highly placed sources in the Police Department said that coastal surveillance would get a short in the arm once the coastal police station comes up in Kochi.
They said that construction of the coastal police station in Kochi had been completed and it was likely to be inaugurated on November 21.
“We have received two hightech interceptor boats. Coastal security will be enhanced once the police starts patrolling, in coordination with the other agencies concerned,” the officials said.
Coast Guard, Navy ill-equipped
Questions raised on coastal security
Questions raised on coastal security
KOCHI: At a time when the Headley incident has created ripples across the country, a French yacht with a US national and a French on board, was seized by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Kochi Port after it entered the ship channel without valid documents.
The yacht, which managed to reach the Kochi Port without being noticed by the enforcement agencies has exposed serious lapses in coastal security.
Pignol Guillaume, owner and crew member of the yacht ‘Andrano’, and his companion, 76-year-old Malcom Russell Williamson Jr, were interrogated by the CISF, IB, Coast Guard, Customs Department and Immigration officials.
Intelligence officials said that nothing `suspicious’ was found during the search and the interrogation carried out by the security agencies.
“Apart from visa violation, there was nothing illegal. However, we found that they had given a distress call on Friday night stating that they were running short of food and water. Based on the instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs, mariners sending out distress signals should be supported. That is why no case was registered,”’ said official sources.
The yacht was later given permission to set sail as it was found that it had came to the shore due to bad weather.
However, they were advised not to sail because of the `adverse weather prevailing in the high seas’. The yacht was seized by a CISF patrolling boat on Friday night when it came to the ship channel near the Port administration building around 10.30 p.m. The two occupants had only their passports and did not possess any other valid document, including visa and documents permitting them to enter the Indian waters.
The yacht was taken to the Q5 berth of the Ernakulam Wharf. The yacht, measuring 10.6 x 6 m and a depth of 0.9 m, has a 10 HP doubleengine which runs on diesel. It has a capacity to seat 10 people.
On interrogation, Pignol said that they had set sail from Oman on October 4 and were on their way to Madagascar, adding that they had come to Kochi due to bad weather conditions.
Speaking to the ‘Express’, Malcom said that they went to Kavarathi in the Lakshadweep islands on November 4, from where they were provided necessary replenishment. “The yacht had a minor leakage which was also repaired in Lakshadweep,” he said.
Two globe-trotters lost in the sea
Malcom Russell, a company lawyer by profession, began his glob-trotting from Florida in August 2005. He joined Pignol for a world tour following an invitation from the latter.
“He asked me to join him at Djibouti.
However later on July 3 we began cruising together from Alexandria.
On the way we passed through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. We had a short stay in Yemen where I was hospitalised for two days. Though we considered going to some other ports from there, it was later dropped due to the threat of sea piracy,” he said.
Russell later joined Pignol at the Salalah Port in Oman on October 4.
“We had to go straight south to Madagascar. However, due to bad weather and difficult sea conditions, we went to the east coast of India, which was almost double the actual distance. In the meantime, the yatch developed a leakage and Pignol pumped water out of the yatch.
Then we tried to go to Porbandhar, but could not make it because of wind. That’s how we finally reached Lakshadweep islands. We got food and water from there. The yacht was also repaired. The Lakshadweep Police was very friendly and helped our travel,” he recalled.
Questions raised on coastal security
Questions raised on coastal security
KOCHI: At a time when the Headley incident has created ripples across the country, a French yacht with a US national and a French on board, was seized by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel at the Kochi Port after it entered the ship channel without valid documents.
The yacht, which managed to reach the Kochi Port without being noticed by the enforcement agencies has exposed serious lapses in coastal security.
Pignol Guillaume, owner and crew member of the yacht ‘Andrano’, and his companion, 76-year-old Malcom Russell Williamson Jr, were interrogated by the CISF, IB, Coast Guard, Customs Department and Immigration officials.
Intelligence officials said that nothing `suspicious’ was found during the search and the interrogation carried out by the security agencies.
“Apart from visa violation, there was nothing illegal. However, we found that they had given a distress call on Friday night stating that they were running short of food and water. Based on the instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs, mariners sending out distress signals should be supported. That is why no case was registered,”’ said official sources.
The yacht was later given permission to set sail as it was found that it had came to the shore due to bad weather.
However, they were advised not to sail because of the `adverse weather prevailing in the high seas’. The yacht was seized by a CISF patrolling boat on Friday night when it came to the ship channel near the Port administration building around 10.30 p.m. The two occupants had only their passports and did not possess any other valid document, including visa and documents permitting them to enter the Indian waters.
The yacht was taken to the Q5 berth of the Ernakulam Wharf. The yacht, measuring 10.6 x 6 m and a depth of 0.9 m, has a 10 HP doubleengine which runs on diesel. It has a capacity to seat 10 people.
On interrogation, Pignol said that they had set sail from Oman on October 4 and were on their way to Madagascar, adding that they had come to Kochi due to bad weather conditions.
Speaking to the ‘Express’, Malcom said that they went to Kavarathi in the Lakshadweep islands on November 4, from where they were provided necessary replenishment. “The yacht had a minor leakage which was also repaired in Lakshadweep,” he said.
Two globe-trotters lost in the sea
Malcom Russell, a company lawyer by profession, began his glob-trotting from Florida in August 2005. He joined Pignol for a world tour following an invitation from the latter.
“He asked me to join him at Djibouti.
However later on July 3 we began cruising together from Alexandria.
On the way we passed through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. We had a short stay in Yemen where I was hospitalised for two days. Though we considered going to some other ports from there, it was later dropped due to the threat of sea piracy,” he said.
Russell later joined Pignol at the Salalah Port in Oman on October 4.
“We had to go straight south to Madagascar. However, due to bad weather and difficult sea conditions, we went to the east coast of India, which was almost double the actual distance. In the meantime, the yatch developed a leakage and Pignol pumped water out of the yatch.
Then we tried to go to Porbandhar, but could not make it because of wind. That’s how we finally reached Lakshadweep islands. We got food and water from there. The yacht was also repaired. The Lakshadweep Police was very friendly and helped our travel,” he recalled.
Questions raised on coastal security
Russia, India agree to sign new deal on aircraft carrier overhaul
Russia, India agree to sign new deal on aircraft carrier overhaul
DUBAI, November 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will soon sign a new deal with India on additional funds to finish a refit of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Sunday.
"The negotiations were uneasy but the Indian side treated with understanding the existing problems. They recognized the need to additionally finance the contract and in the near future this will be formalized," Mikhail Zavaliy, Rosoboronexport director for special missions said at a major air show in the Middle East.
The Dubai Air Show is running on November 15-19 in the United Arab Emirates. Over 900 companies from about 50 countries, including 24 Russian firms, take part in the event.
Under the original $1.5 billion 2004 contract between Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Indian Navy, which includes delivery of MiG-29K Fulcrum carrier-based fighters, the work on the aircraft carrier was to have been completed in 2008.
However, Russia later claimed it had underestimated the scale and the cost of the modernization, and asked for an additional $1.2 billion, which New Delhi said was "exorbitant."
After long-running delays and disputes, India offered in February 2008 to raise the refit costs for the aircraft carrier, docked at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia for the past 12 years, by up to $600 million.
Russia said it was not satisfied with the proposed amount and the issue of the additional funding remained unresolved until now.
Admiral Gorshkov is a modified Kiev class aircraft carrier, originally named Baku.
The ship was laid down in 1978 at the Nikolayev South shipyard in Ukraine, launched in 1982, and commissioned with the Soviet Navy in 1987.
It was renamed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
In 1994, following a boiler room explosion, the Admiral Gorshkov sat in dock for a year for repairs. After a brief return to service in 1995, it was finally withdrawn from service in 1996 and put up for sale.
The ship's displacement is 45,000 tons. It has maximum speed of 32 knots and an endurance of 13,500 nautical miles (25,000 km) at a cruising speed of 18 knots.
Russia, India agree to sign new deal on aircraft carrier overhaul | Top Russian news and analysis online | 'RIA Novosti' newswire
Russia, India agree to sign new deal on aircraft carrier overhaul
DUBAI, November 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will soon sign a new deal with India on additional funds to finish a refit of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Sunday.
"The negotiations were uneasy but the Indian side treated with understanding the existing problems. They recognized the need to additionally finance the contract and in the near future this will be formalized," Mikhail Zavaliy, Rosoboronexport director for special missions said at a major air show in the Middle East.
The Dubai Air Show is running on November 15-19 in the United Arab Emirates. Over 900 companies from about 50 countries, including 24 Russian firms, take part in the event.
Under the original $1.5 billion 2004 contract between Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Indian Navy, which includes delivery of MiG-29K Fulcrum carrier-based fighters, the work on the aircraft carrier was to have been completed in 2008.
However, Russia later claimed it had underestimated the scale and the cost of the modernization, and asked for an additional $1.2 billion, which New Delhi said was "exorbitant."
After long-running delays and disputes, India offered in February 2008 to raise the refit costs for the aircraft carrier, docked at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia for the past 12 years, by up to $600 million.
Russia said it was not satisfied with the proposed amount and the issue of the additional funding remained unresolved until now.
Admiral Gorshkov is a modified Kiev class aircraft carrier, originally named Baku.
The ship was laid down in 1978 at the Nikolayev South shipyard in Ukraine, launched in 1982, and commissioned with the Soviet Navy in 1987.
It was renamed after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
In 1994, following a boiler room explosion, the Admiral Gorshkov sat in dock for a year for repairs. After a brief return to service in 1995, it was finally withdrawn from service in 1996 and put up for sale.
The ship's displacement is 45,000 tons. It has maximum speed of 32 knots and an endurance of 13,500 nautical miles (25,000 km) at a cruising speed of 18 knots.
Russia, India agree to sign new deal on aircraft carrier overhaul | Top Russian news and analysis online | 'RIA Novosti' newswire
MoD may sell aircraft carrier to India to limit cuts
One of Britain’s new £2bn aircraft carriers could be sold off under cost-cutting plans being considered by the Ministry of Defence. India has lodged a firm expression of interest, the Observer has learned.
The sale of one of the two 65,000-tonne vessels would leave the Royal Navy with a single carrier and could force Britain to borrow from the French fleet, which itself has only one carrier and is reluctant to build more. Last summer the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, proposed to Gordon Brown that the two navies co-ordinate maintenance and refitting so that one was at sea at all times.
According to senior defence sources, Whitehall officials are examining the feasibility of a sale as part of the strategic defence review that will start early next year and is expected to result in savage cuts.
http://idrw.org/?p=1676
The carrier programme has already been delayed by two years to push back spending commitments, which itself will end up costing the taxpayer more in the long run. BAE Systems began work in July on HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is due to come into service in 2016. Preparatory work on the Prince of Wales, due for launch in 2018, has also started. The two carriers will replace the ageing Invincible class and are three times the size.
There were fears that the government could scrap one altogether. But it is understood that the financial penalties would be prohibitive. About 10,000 jobs in Portsmouth, Barrow-in-Furness, Fife and Glasgow depend on the orders.
One of Britain’s new £2bn aircraft carriers could be sold off under cost-cutting plans being considered by the Ministry of Defence. India has lodged a firm expression of interest, the Observer has learned.
The sale of one of the two 65,000-tonne vessels would leave the Royal Navy with a single carrier and could force Britain to borrow from the French fleet, which itself has only one carrier and is reluctant to build more. Last summer the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, proposed to Gordon Brown that the two navies co-ordinate maintenance and refitting so that one was at sea at all times.
According to senior defence sources, Whitehall officials are examining the feasibility of a sale as part of the strategic defence review that will start early next year and is expected to result in savage cuts.
http://idrw.org/?p=1676
The carrier programme has already been delayed by two years to push back spending commitments, which itself will end up costing the taxpayer more in the long run. BAE Systems began work in July on HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is due to come into service in 2016. Preparatory work on the Prince of Wales, due for launch in 2018, has also started. The two carriers will replace the ageing Invincible class and are three times the size.
There were fears that the government could scrap one altogether. But it is understood that the financial penalties would be prohibitive. About 10,000 jobs in Portsmouth, Barrow-in-Furness, Fife and Glasgow depend on the orders.
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India's sole aircraft carrier turns 50 Wednesday
2009-11-16
The Indian Navy's lone aircraft carrier INS Viraat will complete 50 years in service Wednesday, a defence official said Monday. 'The navy chief (Admiral Nirmal Verma) will be going to Mumbai tomorrow (Tuesday) and he will also be on board the vessel, on the day she turns 50,' said a senior navy official, requesting anonymity.
INS Viraat, which has a crew of 1,500 personnel, has just been given a life-extending re-fit at the Cochin Shipyard Ltd, where it was docked for the past year. The refit has increased the aircraft carrier's sea life with the Indian Navy till 2015. The 28,000-tonne INS Viraat, the Centaur class aircraft carrier, was originally commissioned in the British Royal Navy as HMS Hermes Nov 18, 1959. The Indian Navy acquired it in 1987 after it had served the Royal Navy for nearly 28 years. 'An extensive refit - with brand new fire control equipment, navigation radars, improved nuclear, biological and chemical protection and deck landing aids - has increased the life of the vessel into the next decade,' the official said. The aircraft carrier gives the Indian Navy an edge over the Chinese navy, which does not have one. The Indian Navy's second aircraft carrier - Russian-built Admiral Gorshkov - is expected to be inducted by 2012. INS Viraat is pivotal to the navy's aim to project India's naval and air power well beyond its shores. It provides operation ground for Sea Harrier combat jets. It can carry up to 18 combat aircraft and is suited for supporting amphibious operations and conducting anti-submarine warfare.
India's sole aircraft carrier turns 50 Wednesday
2009-11-16
The Indian Navy's lone aircraft carrier INS Viraat will complete 50 years in service Wednesday, a defence official said Monday. 'The navy chief (Admiral Nirmal Verma) will be going to Mumbai tomorrow (Tuesday) and he will also be on board the vessel, on the day she turns 50,' said a senior navy official, requesting anonymity.
INS Viraat, which has a crew of 1,500 personnel, has just been given a life-extending re-fit at the Cochin Shipyard Ltd, where it was docked for the past year. The refit has increased the aircraft carrier's sea life with the Indian Navy till 2015. The 28,000-tonne INS Viraat, the Centaur class aircraft carrier, was originally commissioned in the British Royal Navy as HMS Hermes Nov 18, 1959. The Indian Navy acquired it in 1987 after it had served the Royal Navy for nearly 28 years. 'An extensive refit - with brand new fire control equipment, navigation radars, improved nuclear, biological and chemical protection and deck landing aids - has increased the life of the vessel into the next decade,' the official said. The aircraft carrier gives the Indian Navy an edge over the Chinese navy, which does not have one. The Indian Navy's second aircraft carrier - Russian-built Admiral Gorshkov - is expected to be inducted by 2012. INS Viraat is pivotal to the navy's aim to project India's naval and air power well beyond its shores. It provides operation ground for Sea Harrier combat jets. It can carry up to 18 combat aircraft and is suited for supporting amphibious operations and conducting anti-submarine warfare.
India's sole aircraft carrier turns 50 Wednesday
India's sole aircraft carrier turns 50 Wednesday
India's sole aircraft carrier turns 50 Wednesday
The Indian Navy's lone aircraft carrier INS Viraat will complete 50 years in service Wednesday, a defence official said Monday.
'The navy chief (Admiral Nirmal Verma) will be going to Mumbai tomorrow (Tuesday) and he will also be on board the vessel, on the day she turns 50,' said a senior navy official, requesting anonymity.
INS Viraat, which has a crew of 1,500 personnel, has just been given a life-extending re-fit at the Cochin Shipyard Ltd, where it was docked for the past year.
The refit has increased the aircraft carrier's sea life with the Indian Navy till 2015.
The 28,000-tonne INS Viraat, the Centaur class aircraft carrier, was originally commissioned in the British Royal Navy as HMS Hermes Nov 18, 1959.
The Indian Navy acquired it in 1987 after it had served the Royal Navy for nearly 28 years.
'An extensive refit - with brand new fire control equipment, navigation radars, improved nuclear, biological and chemical protection and deck landing aids - has increased the life of the vessel into the next decade,' the official said.
The aircraft carrier gives the Indian Navy an edge over the Chinese navy, which does not have one.
The Indian Navy's second aircraft carrier - Russian-built Admiral Gorshkov - is expected to be inducted by 2012.
INS Viraat is pivotal to the navy's aim to project India's naval and air power well beyond its shores. It provides operation ground for Sea Harrier combat jets. It can carry up to 18 combat aircraft and is suited for supporting amphibious operations and conducting anti-submarine warfare.
India's sole aircraft carrier turns 50 Wednesday
India's sole aircraft carrier turns 50 Wednesday
The Indian Navy's lone aircraft carrier INS Viraat will complete 50 years in service Wednesday, a defence official said Monday.
'The navy chief (Admiral Nirmal Verma) will be going to Mumbai tomorrow (Tuesday) and he will also be on board the vessel, on the day she turns 50,' said a senior navy official, requesting anonymity.
INS Viraat, which has a crew of 1,500 personnel, has just been given a life-extending re-fit at the Cochin Shipyard Ltd, where it was docked for the past year.
The refit has increased the aircraft carrier's sea life with the Indian Navy till 2015.
The 28,000-tonne INS Viraat, the Centaur class aircraft carrier, was originally commissioned in the British Royal Navy as HMS Hermes Nov 18, 1959.
The Indian Navy acquired it in 1987 after it had served the Royal Navy for nearly 28 years.
'An extensive refit - with brand new fire control equipment, navigation radars, improved nuclear, biological and chemical protection and deck landing aids - has increased the life of the vessel into the next decade,' the official said.
The aircraft carrier gives the Indian Navy an edge over the Chinese navy, which does not have one.
The Indian Navy's second aircraft carrier - Russian-built Admiral Gorshkov - is expected to be inducted by 2012.
INS Viraat is pivotal to the navy's aim to project India's naval and air power well beyond its shores. It provides operation ground for Sea Harrier combat jets. It can carry up to 18 combat aircraft and is suited for supporting amphibious operations and conducting anti-submarine warfare.
India's sole aircraft carrier turns 50 Wednesday
The British warship that India wants: quantum leap on the high seas
The British warship that India wants: quantum leap on the high seas
London, Nov 16 (IANS) A futuristic aircraft carrier that India is reported to be keen on buying from Britain is envisaged as a giant guardian of the high seas, capable of travelling thousands of kilometres from home and wreaking massive destruction on enemy targets, experts said Monday.
India has reportedly “lodged a firm expression of interest” in buying one of two huge aircraft carriers that are currently under construction - the largest warships ever built by Britain, and designed to be the most capable aircraft carriers outside the US Navy.
Britain is considering selling the warship to India for two billion pounds under a cost-cutting plan chalked out by its ministry of defence, the Observer reported Sunday quoting senior defence sources.
The two 65,000-tonne ships are being built for the Royal Navy by British Aerospace (BAE) - HMS Queen Elizabeth, on which work began this July will be the first to be rolled out in 2016. And preparatory work has started for the second, the Prince of Wales, due for launch in 2018.
A leading British naval expert told IANS the two warships embody a “huge quantum leap” in terms of technology, reach and power.
“It’s all about power projection. The Indian Navy is in the process of expanding its reach as a naval force capable of operating far from its own shores,” said Jon Rosamond, editor of the authoritative Jane’s Navy International.
“The Indian Navy has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden on an anti-piracy mission, but this ship will increase its reach even further afield,” he added.
“It would give India access to the Far East and even the Western Pacific. The aircraft carrier has a life span of 40-50 years, so there has been a lot of speculation. People are talking about the rivalry with China in particular,” Rosamond told IANS.
The ships under construction are the result of recommendations that came out of a wide-ranging Strategic Defence Review (SDR) undertaken by the Labour government in 1997 of nearly every weapon system in Britain.
The SDR concluded: “The emphasis is now on increased offensive air power, and an ability to operate the largest possible range of aircraft in the widest possible range of roles.”
The warships will be equipped with ski ramp-assisted takeoff at the front, which will suit the Sukhoi strike aircraft that India is buying from Russia, Rosamond said.
“It will be able to carry not only enhanced aircraft, but also more of them,” Rosamond said.
Strategic experts said that the anticipated “quantum jump” in Indian naval power would have the backing of the world’s major navies.
The British warship that India wants: quantum leap on the high seas
The British warship that India wants: quantum leap on the high seas
London, Nov 16 (IANS) A futuristic aircraft carrier that India is reported to be keen on buying from Britain is envisaged as a giant guardian of the high seas, capable of travelling thousands of kilometres from home and wreaking massive destruction on enemy targets, experts said Monday.
India has reportedly “lodged a firm expression of interest” in buying one of two huge aircraft carriers that are currently under construction - the largest warships ever built by Britain, and designed to be the most capable aircraft carriers outside the US Navy.
Britain is considering selling the warship to India for two billion pounds under a cost-cutting plan chalked out by its ministry of defence, the Observer reported Sunday quoting senior defence sources.
The two 65,000-tonne ships are being built for the Royal Navy by British Aerospace (BAE) - HMS Queen Elizabeth, on which work began this July will be the first to be rolled out in 2016. And preparatory work has started for the second, the Prince of Wales, due for launch in 2018.
A leading British naval expert told IANS the two warships embody a “huge quantum leap” in terms of technology, reach and power.
“It’s all about power projection. The Indian Navy is in the process of expanding its reach as a naval force capable of operating far from its own shores,” said Jon Rosamond, editor of the authoritative Jane’s Navy International.
“The Indian Navy has been patrolling the Gulf of Aden on an anti-piracy mission, but this ship will increase its reach even further afield,” he added.
“It would give India access to the Far East and even the Western Pacific. The aircraft carrier has a life span of 40-50 years, so there has been a lot of speculation. People are talking about the rivalry with China in particular,” Rosamond told IANS.
The ships under construction are the result of recommendations that came out of a wide-ranging Strategic Defence Review (SDR) undertaken by the Labour government in 1997 of nearly every weapon system in Britain.
The SDR concluded: “The emphasis is now on increased offensive air power, and an ability to operate the largest possible range of aircraft in the widest possible range of roles.”
The warships will be equipped with ski ramp-assisted takeoff at the front, which will suit the Sukhoi strike aircraft that India is buying from Russia, Rosamond said.
“It will be able to carry not only enhanced aircraft, but also more of them,” Rosamond said.
Strategic experts said that the anticipated “quantum jump” in Indian naval power would have the backing of the world’s major navies.
The British warship that India wants: quantum leap on the high seas
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Celebrating the Indian Navy
Warships cruising at breakneck speed, guns firing and shells sizzling into the aquamarine water - the scene seemed straight out of a war film as the Indian Navy conducted an exercise in the Bay of Bengal off the port city of Paradip. Seven ships of the Eastern Fleet - Landing Platform Dock INS Jalashwa, guided missile destroyer INS Ranjit and five missile corvettes - participated in the exercise recently during the Navy Week celebrations.
During the operation, the warships displayed their manoeuvring skills, including intra-ship coordination, transfer of men and materials from one ship to another and rescue operations during war. There were also high-speed missile shows, underwater replenishment (from INS Jalashwa to two other ships simultaneously), close-range antiaircraft firing exercises and flag-past by naval aircraft and helicopters. The exercise, which showcased the navy's prowess, began with a flag past by combat ships with INS Jalashwa at the centre and the other ships flanking her. This was followed by the landing of Chetak helicopters on the ships and rescue operations.
Not only the men and the machines, communication between warships through the flags waving atop each ship was also demonstrated. A crew of flag hoisters are responsible for getting the message across apart from the wireless phones that ring every now and then. "Every flag has a meaning. There are 69 types of flags to communicate messages. Whether it is fuelling or firing or any type of message we want to communicate to the other ships, we get it across through flags," said Amar Singh, a crewman in the Signal wing of the INS Jalashwa.
Warships cruising at breakneck speed, guns firing and shells sizzling into the aquamarine water - the scene seemed straight out of a war film as the Indian Navy conducted an exercise in the Bay of Bengal off the port city of Paradip. Seven ships of the Eastern Fleet - Landing Platform Dock INS Jalashwa, guided missile destroyer INS Ranjit and five missile corvettes - participated in the exercise recently during the Navy Week celebrations.
During the operation, the warships displayed their manoeuvring skills, including intra-ship coordination, transfer of men and materials from one ship to another and rescue operations during war. There were also high-speed missile shows, underwater replenishment (from INS Jalashwa to two other ships simultaneously), close-range antiaircraft firing exercises and flag-past by naval aircraft and helicopters. The exercise, which showcased the navy's prowess, began with a flag past by combat ships with INS Jalashwa at the centre and the other ships flanking her. This was followed by the landing of Chetak helicopters on the ships and rescue operations.
Not only the men and the machines, communication between warships through the flags waving atop each ship was also demonstrated. A crew of flag hoisters are responsible for getting the message across apart from the wireless phones that ring every now and then. "Every flag has a meaning. There are 69 types of flags to communicate messages. Whether it is fuelling or firing or any type of message we want to communicate to the other ships, we get it across through flags," said Amar Singh, a crewman in the Signal wing of the INS Jalashwa.
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Is the operational number reduced so less? Or it's DDM
Navy Chief to sail on INS Viraat to mark golden jubilee
Navy Chief to sail on INS Viraat to mark golden jubilee
Indian Navy gets its first women combatants
Indian Navy gets its first women combatants
The Indian Navy on Friday will script history on November 20, when it enlists two women officers as observers on board its fleet of maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), putting an end to debates over the induction of women in combat roles in the Armed Forces.
With the coveted ‘wings’ conferred on them at a passing out ceremony here, Sub Lieutenants Ambica Hooda and Seema Rani Sharma, both 22 years, will become the first women airborne tacticians of the Navy, which has taken the lead in according equal opportunities to the fairer gender by starting entry for women in the observer cadre as Short Service Commissioned Officers.
“Having commendably completed their training, the [lady] officers will now be posted to the Dornier maritime reconnaissance squadrons as Electronic Warfare Sensor Officers. And, on a maritime patrol aircraft, observers carry out operation of radar, electronic sensor systems, electronic warfare systems, anti-submarine warfare systems, maritime air operations for independent search and tracking, coordination with the Air Force and the like,” said Commander PVGK Nambiar, Officer-in-Charge of the Observer School in INS Garuda who has overseen the 27-week flying training taken by the lady officers, who formed part of a mixed batch of four.
“Their training on the avionics fitted on the Dorniers will stand them in good stead when they get converted to the IL-38 and the TU-142 at a later stage where they will be required to carry out tactical operation of weapons,” said Commander Sridhar Warrier, Chief Instructor of the Observer School.
A training that lasted 16 months, starting with a six-month orientation course at the Naval Academy, has given them the grit, gumption and zeal to soar to greater heights. They also got attached to professional schools INS Shivaji in Lonavla; INS Hamla in Mumbai; and INS Satavahana in Visakhapatnam prior to their final training at the Observer School.
“During the course, we flew 17 sorties, each of three-hour duration,” Sub Lt Seema, hailing from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, told The Hindu. Her father served the Navy and her brothers, serving it. “I am feeling proud that I’ve set the course for young women to follow,” she said of her choice.
Sub Lieutenant Ambica, from Rohtak in Haryana, didn’t have any clue when she filled up the application form after graduation that she would go down in history as one of the first two women combatants in the Navy. Her father served the Army, but an uncle in the Navy encouraged her to strive for a different role. Still excited about their first Dornier sortie, she says a gender-sensitive infrastructure has already fallen in place when their training commenced. “I am ready to handle any role I am asked to perform,” she said.
On Monday, the duo flew their 18th sortie, under the watchful eyes of a Qualified Navigation Instructor (QNI) from the Aircats (Aircrew Categorisation and Standardisation Board), the nodal agency in naval aviation to test the degree of professionalism of the air crew. As Sub Lts Seema and Ambica emerged from the aircraft post their three-and-a-half hour standardisation procedure during which they flew over the southern peninsula, a delighted Commander Satish Kumar, their Aircats examiner, told The Hindu: “They were supposed to take the aircraft from point A to point B and were expected to fix its position at any point in time. They did way above average.”
SMALL STEP FOR WOMANKIND: Sub Lieutenants Seema Rani Sarma and Ambica Hooda, who will be inducted on November 20 as the Navy's first airborne tacticians Photo: Vipin Chandran
The Hindu : Cities / Kochi : Indian Navy gets its first women combatants
Indian Navy gets its first women combatants
The Indian Navy on Friday will script history on November 20, when it enlists two women officers as observers on board its fleet of maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), putting an end to debates over the induction of women in combat roles in the Armed Forces.
With the coveted ‘wings’ conferred on them at a passing out ceremony here, Sub Lieutenants Ambica Hooda and Seema Rani Sharma, both 22 years, will become the first women airborne tacticians of the Navy, which has taken the lead in according equal opportunities to the fairer gender by starting entry for women in the observer cadre as Short Service Commissioned Officers.
“Having commendably completed their training, the [lady] officers will now be posted to the Dornier maritime reconnaissance squadrons as Electronic Warfare Sensor Officers. And, on a maritime patrol aircraft, observers carry out operation of radar, electronic sensor systems, electronic warfare systems, anti-submarine warfare systems, maritime air operations for independent search and tracking, coordination with the Air Force and the like,” said Commander PVGK Nambiar, Officer-in-Charge of the Observer School in INS Garuda who has overseen the 27-week flying training taken by the lady officers, who formed part of a mixed batch of four.
“Their training on the avionics fitted on the Dorniers will stand them in good stead when they get converted to the IL-38 and the TU-142 at a later stage where they will be required to carry out tactical operation of weapons,” said Commander Sridhar Warrier, Chief Instructor of the Observer School.
A training that lasted 16 months, starting with a six-month orientation course at the Naval Academy, has given them the grit, gumption and zeal to soar to greater heights. They also got attached to professional schools INS Shivaji in Lonavla; INS Hamla in Mumbai; and INS Satavahana in Visakhapatnam prior to their final training at the Observer School.
“During the course, we flew 17 sorties, each of three-hour duration,” Sub Lt Seema, hailing from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, told The Hindu. Her father served the Navy and her brothers, serving it. “I am feeling proud that I’ve set the course for young women to follow,” she said of her choice.
Sub Lieutenant Ambica, from Rohtak in Haryana, didn’t have any clue when she filled up the application form after graduation that she would go down in history as one of the first two women combatants in the Navy. Her father served the Army, but an uncle in the Navy encouraged her to strive for a different role. Still excited about their first Dornier sortie, she says a gender-sensitive infrastructure has already fallen in place when their training commenced. “I am ready to handle any role I am asked to perform,” she said.
On Monday, the duo flew their 18th sortie, under the watchful eyes of a Qualified Navigation Instructor (QNI) from the Aircats (Aircrew Categorisation and Standardisation Board), the nodal agency in naval aviation to test the degree of professionalism of the air crew. As Sub Lts Seema and Ambica emerged from the aircraft post their three-and-a-half hour standardisation procedure during which they flew over the southern peninsula, a delighted Commander Satish Kumar, their Aircats examiner, told The Hindu: “They were supposed to take the aircraft from point A to point B and were expected to fix its position at any point in time. They did way above average.”
SMALL STEP FOR WOMANKIND: Sub Lieutenants Seema Rani Sarma and Ambica Hooda, who will be inducted on November 20 as the Navy's first airborne tacticians Photo: Vipin Chandran
The Hindu : Cities / Kochi : Indian Navy gets its first women combatants
Russia to float out frigate for Indian Navy Nov 27
Russia to float out frigate for Indian Navy Nov 27
Nov 18 (RIA Novosti) A Russian shipyard will float out the first of three frigates for the Indian Navy Nov 27, a company spokesman said.
The Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad is building three modified Krivak III class (also known as Talwar class) guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy under a $1.6 billion contract signed in July 2006.
'The frigate is due to be floated out Nov 27,' Sergei Mikhailov said Tuesday.
He said sea trials would not start right away because 'post-construction work' was still to be carried out. The trials should start in 2010, he added.
The shipyard is to deliver the last warship to India in 2011-2012.
He did not indicate exactly when the first frigate would be complete and handed over to India.
In an interview with RIA Novosti, Yantar's director Igor Orlov said the shipyard was currently in talks with Russia's Vnesheconombank on 'a $60 million loan to complete the construction of the three frigates for the Indian Navy'.
The Talwar-class frigate has deadweight capacity of 4,000 metric tonnes and a speed of 30 knots, and is capable of accomplishing a wide range of naval missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.
Russia has previously built three Talwar class frigates for India - the INS Talwar, the INS Trishul, and the INS Tabar.
Indian President Pratibha Patil has named the new ships the Teg, the Tarkash, and the Trikand.
All the new frigates will be armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles rather than 3M-54E Klub-N anti-ship missiles that were installed on previous frigates.
They will be also equipped with a 100-mm gun, a Shtil surface-to-air missile system, two Kashtan air-defence gun/missile systems, two twin 533-mm torpedo launchers, and an anti-submarine warfare helicopter.
http://sify.com/news/russia-to-float-out-frigate-for-indian-navy-nov-27-news-international-jlsi4bigdai.html
Russia to float out frigate for Indian Navy Nov 27
Nov 18 (RIA Novosti) A Russian shipyard will float out the first of three frigates for the Indian Navy Nov 27, a company spokesman said.
The Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad is building three modified Krivak III class (also known as Talwar class) guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy under a $1.6 billion contract signed in July 2006.
'The frigate is due to be floated out Nov 27,' Sergei Mikhailov said Tuesday.
He said sea trials would not start right away because 'post-construction work' was still to be carried out. The trials should start in 2010, he added.
The shipyard is to deliver the last warship to India in 2011-2012.
He did not indicate exactly when the first frigate would be complete and handed over to India.
In an interview with RIA Novosti, Yantar's director Igor Orlov said the shipyard was currently in talks with Russia's Vnesheconombank on 'a $60 million loan to complete the construction of the three frigates for the Indian Navy'.
The Talwar-class frigate has deadweight capacity of 4,000 metric tonnes and a speed of 30 knots, and is capable of accomplishing a wide range of naval missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.
Russia has previously built three Talwar class frigates for India - the INS Talwar, the INS Trishul, and the INS Tabar.
Indian President Pratibha Patil has named the new ships the Teg, the Tarkash, and the Trikand.
All the new frigates will be armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles rather than 3M-54E Klub-N anti-ship missiles that were installed on previous frigates.
They will be also equipped with a 100-mm gun, a Shtil surface-to-air missile system, two Kashtan air-defence gun/missile systems, two twin 533-mm torpedo launchers, and an anti-submarine warfare helicopter.
http://sify.com/news/russia-to-float-out-frigate-for-indian-navy-nov-27-news-international-jlsi4bigdai.html
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Women ready for war
Women ready for war
A long-preserved male bastion in the Indian armed forces is about to fall. On Friday, the Naval Aviation, 56 years after its inception, will for the first time induct women combatant officers in its aviation cadre.
It was more than just a routine flight this Dornier 228 over the Southern Peninsula and back to the naval base in Kochi. Manning it were two lady officers who will be Indian Navy's first ever women Observers of maritime patrol aircraft.
This means Sub Lieutenant Seema Rani Sharma and Ambica Hooda would plan tactics, execute them, fire weapons and could even be in action in the harms way, which so far only the men have been doing.
"I am ready for this. I am well trained and ready to perform out there," Seema said.
Twenty two-year-old Sub Lieutenant Ambica Hooda's father, a retired Army officer in Haryana, wanted her to join the Army. But on Friday, when she would be inducted as Observer in the aviation cadre in the Navy she says her father would be the proudest man.
"My uncle was in the Navy and he had briefed me about this although, I didn't fully know what I would be doing when I pass out. All I knew was that it would be very thrilling and adventurous," she said.
As part of a pilot project, the Navy will induct Observers in its flying branch every six months after a 27-week-long rigorous training. Apart from Seema and Ambica, two male officers will wear the 'wings of gold'.
"Even if there are administrative difficulties, we will hope to keep this alive. The will is there, open-mindedness is there, so I think the path will follow," said Sridhar Warrior, Chief Instructor, Training.
The women may be raring to go, but a lot needs to change for them even in terms of infrastructure. The design of Indian warships at the moment are not women friendly. In fact even at the training camp, renovation work is still going on to ensure that the ladies have facilities like a separate changing rooms.
Some Asian countries like China may have overtaken India even in women power in its defence but India has finally taken the first step.
Women ready for war
A long-preserved male bastion in the Indian armed forces is about to fall. On Friday, the Naval Aviation, 56 years after its inception, will for the first time induct women combatant officers in its aviation cadre.
It was more than just a routine flight this Dornier 228 over the Southern Peninsula and back to the naval base in Kochi. Manning it were two lady officers who will be Indian Navy's first ever women Observers of maritime patrol aircraft.
This means Sub Lieutenant Seema Rani Sharma and Ambica Hooda would plan tactics, execute them, fire weapons and could even be in action in the harms way, which so far only the men have been doing.
"I am ready for this. I am well trained and ready to perform out there," Seema said.
Twenty two-year-old Sub Lieutenant Ambica Hooda's father, a retired Army officer in Haryana, wanted her to join the Army. But on Friday, when she would be inducted as Observer in the aviation cadre in the Navy she says her father would be the proudest man.
"My uncle was in the Navy and he had briefed me about this although, I didn't fully know what I would be doing when I pass out. All I knew was that it would be very thrilling and adventurous," she said.
As part of a pilot project, the Navy will induct Observers in its flying branch every six months after a 27-week-long rigorous training. Apart from Seema and Ambica, two male officers will wear the 'wings of gold'.
"Even if there are administrative difficulties, we will hope to keep this alive. The will is there, open-mindedness is there, so I think the path will follow," said Sridhar Warrior, Chief Instructor, Training.
The women may be raring to go, but a lot needs to change for them even in terms of infrastructure. The design of Indian warships at the moment are not women friendly. In fact even at the training camp, renovation work is still going on to ensure that the ladies have facilities like a separate changing rooms.
Some Asian countries like China may have overtaken India even in women power in its defence but India has finally taken the first step.
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IAF has no immediate plans to induct women as fighter pilots for the foreseeable future.
There are financial, operational and cultural constraints in having women fighter pilots, said IAF vice chief Air Marshal P K Barbora on Tuesday. "It, after all, takes as much as Rs 11.66 crore to train a fighter pilot," he said.
After spending so much, IAF does not want any disruption in its tight fighter flying schedules, which it feels is inevitable after a woman pilot gets married and has children. If a woman gets pregnant, it will "not be fruitful" for either the force or her. "Anyone can fly a fighter. But the issue is that after spending so much and then not being able to utilise women operationally would not be a prudent thing," said Air Marshal Barbora.
But with women already flying helicopters and transport aircraft in IAF, things may gradually evolve to a level when they are also allowed to fly fighters in the future. But there are no such concrete plans as of now.
"We are looking at it. If we do induct women as fighter pilots, there could be some pre-conditions (like them not having children for some specified time)," said the IAF vice-chief, adding that it took 13-14 years of active flying by fighter pilots for the government to recover the huge investments made on them.
Moreover, with "all the respect" women get in Indian culture, the dominant "feeling" as things stand now is that they should not be exposed to direct or close combat situations, where there is also the possibility of them being taken PoWs (prisoners of war). "Even the Israelis do not allow their women fighter pilots in direct conflict roles," he added.
'No women fighter pilots for now' - India - The Times of India
There are financial, operational and cultural constraints in having women fighter pilots, said IAF vice chief Air Marshal P K Barbora on Tuesday. "It, after all, takes as much as Rs 11.66 crore to train a fighter pilot," he said.
After spending so much, IAF does not want any disruption in its tight fighter flying schedules, which it feels is inevitable after a woman pilot gets married and has children. If a woman gets pregnant, it will "not be fruitful" for either the force or her. "Anyone can fly a fighter. But the issue is that after spending so much and then not being able to utilise women operationally would not be a prudent thing," said Air Marshal Barbora.
But with women already flying helicopters and transport aircraft in IAF, things may gradually evolve to a level when they are also allowed to fly fighters in the future. But there are no such concrete plans as of now.
"We are looking at it. If we do induct women as fighter pilots, there could be some pre-conditions (like them not having children for some specified time)," said the IAF vice-chief, adding that it took 13-14 years of active flying by fighter pilots for the government to recover the huge investments made on them.
Moreover, with "all the respect" women get in Indian culture, the dominant "feeling" as things stand now is that they should not be exposed to direct or close combat situations, where there is also the possibility of them being taken PoWs (prisoners of war). "Even the Israelis do not allow their women fighter pilots in direct conflict roles," he added.
'No women fighter pilots for now' - India - The Times of India
A year after 26/11, Mumbai needs security check
A year after 26/11, Mumbai needs security check
Mumbai: Coastal security is being shored up, a special commando unit is being trained and police equipment is being modernised among many other measures under way. A year after the devastating 26/11 terror attacks, securing Mumbai is still a work in progress, admit officials.
The 60-hour siege in Mumbai beginning on the night of November 26, 2008, exposed the complete unpreparedness of the security establishment in tackling the most daring non-military attack seen in the country so far.
A year down the line, there has been a tightening of coastal security, revamped security measures in important buildings in the financial capital and more checks on the rail network system that is the city's lifeline.
But a lot more needs to be done.
"Many systems are in place that was absent a year back. But let me be frank and tell you that it is still a work in progress. However, what I can say confidently is that there is a heightened sense of security and the operational preparedness of the police has improved," says Mumbai Police Commissioner D Shivanandhan.
*
Remembering heroes of 26/11
*
26/11 hero Unnikrishnan's family reels under loss
"Basic protocols are in place."
Shoring up coastal security and tightening measures on the city's sea front have been given topmost priority.
The 10 terrorists had sneaked in undetected into Mumbai from the sea route, fanning out into the city to go on a killing spree that claimed 166 lives. Nine of them were killed, and one, Mohammed Amir Kasab, is in custody.
That is a story that will never be repeated, vow officials.
Given the vulnerability of the sea borders - the Arabian Sea on the west, the Indian Ocean on the south and the Bay of Bengal in the east - multiple security agencies, including Mumbai Police, have been acquiring or deploying additional boats to keep an eye on the country's western coast.
Just last week, navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma conducted a detailed review of the Western Naval Command in Mumbai to check its operational preparedness.
The Indian Navy has drawn up major plans to acquire five midget submarines - weighing around 150 tonnes - for its Marine Commandos (MARCOS) unit for underwater surveillance missions and covert operations in high seas.
MARCOs played an instrumental role in eliminating the terrorists during the three-day siege.
"The terror attacks in Mumbai have resulted in a bigger role for the Indian Coast Guard. Work is under way to put in place a chain of 46 coastal radars spanning nine coastal stations," says Defence Minister AK Antony.
For strategic reasons, the current emphasis is on strengthening the security on the west coast, which incidentally proved a haven for terrorists even during the March 1993 serial bomb blasts that killed over 250 people.
A couple of months ago, police acquired two indigenous bulletproof boats, built by the Goa shipyard at a cost of nearly Rs 4.5 crore.
Efforts are also on to ensure that police are equipped to combat the terrorists.
The state government plans to spend Rs 630 crore on modernising its force; this will mean an upgraded anti-terrorist squad, better weaponry and equipment and state-of-the-art control rooms.
"The state authorities are also raising a special commando unit called Force One, with 238 recruits undergoing training near Pune. Soon Mumbai will also be wrapped in CCTVs," says Shivanandhan.
In the last six months, metal detectors, dog squads and gun-toting security personnel behind sandbags have been positioned at important installations across the city. These include railway stations, airports, ports, malls, multiplexes and deluxe hotels.
"Sure there is heightened security and some of it is unobtrusive as well, which is good. There is a lot of awareness post-26/11 and even people are careful. However, the biggest challenge of security agencies is to pre-empt any terror strikes," says tax consultant and long-time Mumbai resident JP Purohit.
Last month, a high-level team of security experts from the National Security Council, the elite National Security Guard (NSG) and other security agencies arrived to take stock of the operational readiness of the civic agencies in the face an emergency.
After visiting the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and Mantralaya at Nariman Point, the team discovered that the city's communication, transport networks and the disaster management systems were still vulnerable.
The team suggested alternatives like connecting disaster management control rooms of Mumbai and Delhi with hotlines, using HAM radios and developing waterways in case the city's road and rail networks collapsed. Almost 75 lakh people commute on trains every day.
For a city that has been witness to horrific terror attacks in the past, 26/11 was a rude wake-up call not just for the authorities here but also for the rest of the country. Authorities now believe they have been able to establish basic strategies and tactics for an appropriate terror response.
The job is still unfinished, however.
A year after 26/11, Mumbai needs security check
A year after 26/11, Mumbai needs security check
Mumbai: Coastal security is being shored up, a special commando unit is being trained and police equipment is being modernised among many other measures under way. A year after the devastating 26/11 terror attacks, securing Mumbai is still a work in progress, admit officials.
The 60-hour siege in Mumbai beginning on the night of November 26, 2008, exposed the complete unpreparedness of the security establishment in tackling the most daring non-military attack seen in the country so far.
A year down the line, there has been a tightening of coastal security, revamped security measures in important buildings in the financial capital and more checks on the rail network system that is the city's lifeline.
But a lot more needs to be done.
"Many systems are in place that was absent a year back. But let me be frank and tell you that it is still a work in progress. However, what I can say confidently is that there is a heightened sense of security and the operational preparedness of the police has improved," says Mumbai Police Commissioner D Shivanandhan.
*
Remembering heroes of 26/11
*
26/11 hero Unnikrishnan's family reels under loss
"Basic protocols are in place."
Shoring up coastal security and tightening measures on the city's sea front have been given topmost priority.
The 10 terrorists had sneaked in undetected into Mumbai from the sea route, fanning out into the city to go on a killing spree that claimed 166 lives. Nine of them were killed, and one, Mohammed Amir Kasab, is in custody.
That is a story that will never be repeated, vow officials.
Given the vulnerability of the sea borders - the Arabian Sea on the west, the Indian Ocean on the south and the Bay of Bengal in the east - multiple security agencies, including Mumbai Police, have been acquiring or deploying additional boats to keep an eye on the country's western coast.
Just last week, navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma conducted a detailed review of the Western Naval Command in Mumbai to check its operational preparedness.
The Indian Navy has drawn up major plans to acquire five midget submarines - weighing around 150 tonnes - for its Marine Commandos (MARCOS) unit for underwater surveillance missions and covert operations in high seas.
MARCOs played an instrumental role in eliminating the terrorists during the three-day siege.
"The terror attacks in Mumbai have resulted in a bigger role for the Indian Coast Guard. Work is under way to put in place a chain of 46 coastal radars spanning nine coastal stations," says Defence Minister AK Antony.
For strategic reasons, the current emphasis is on strengthening the security on the west coast, which incidentally proved a haven for terrorists even during the March 1993 serial bomb blasts that killed over 250 people.
A couple of months ago, police acquired two indigenous bulletproof boats, built by the Goa shipyard at a cost of nearly Rs 4.5 crore.
Efforts are also on to ensure that police are equipped to combat the terrorists.
The state government plans to spend Rs 630 crore on modernising its force; this will mean an upgraded anti-terrorist squad, better weaponry and equipment and state-of-the-art control rooms.
"The state authorities are also raising a special commando unit called Force One, with 238 recruits undergoing training near Pune. Soon Mumbai will also be wrapped in CCTVs," says Shivanandhan.
In the last six months, metal detectors, dog squads and gun-toting security personnel behind sandbags have been positioned at important installations across the city. These include railway stations, airports, ports, malls, multiplexes and deluxe hotels.
"Sure there is heightened security and some of it is unobtrusive as well, which is good. There is a lot of awareness post-26/11 and even people are careful. However, the biggest challenge of security agencies is to pre-empt any terror strikes," says tax consultant and long-time Mumbai resident JP Purohit.
Last month, a high-level team of security experts from the National Security Council, the elite National Security Guard (NSG) and other security agencies arrived to take stock of the operational readiness of the civic agencies in the face an emergency.
After visiting the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and Mantralaya at Nariman Point, the team discovered that the city's communication, transport networks and the disaster management systems were still vulnerable.
The team suggested alternatives like connecting disaster management control rooms of Mumbai and Delhi with hotlines, using HAM radios and developing waterways in case the city's road and rail networks collapsed. Almost 75 lakh people commute on trains every day.
For a city that has been witness to horrific terror attacks in the past, 26/11 was a rude wake-up call not just for the authorities here but also for the rest of the country. Authorities now believe they have been able to establish basic strategies and tactics for an appropriate terror response.
The job is still unfinished, however.
A year after 26/11, Mumbai needs security check
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Women combatants inducted in Navy for 1st time
fullstory
Kochi, Nov 18 (PTI) Another male bastion would soon fall in the Indian Armed Forces when, for the first time in Naval history, two women officers would don flying overalls at a function here on November 20.
The Indian Navy has taken a huge step forward in giving women equal opportunities in the Armed Forces by allowing entry for females as Short Service Officers in the Observer Cadre, Naval sources told PTI.
The Naval Aviation, for the first time since its inception 56 years ago, has inducted women combatant officers as Observers on board its fleet of maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), they said.
Sub Lieutenants Seema Rani Sharma and Ambica Hooda would be the Navy's first women observers (airborne tacticians). Selected for Short Service Commission, they were initially trained at the Indian Naval Academy for an Orientation Course followed by training at the Observer School located at INS Garuda here.
fullstory
Kochi, Nov 18 (PTI) Another male bastion would soon fall in the Indian Armed Forces when, for the first time in Naval history, two women officers would don flying overalls at a function here on November 20.
The Indian Navy has taken a huge step forward in giving women equal opportunities in the Armed Forces by allowing entry for females as Short Service Officers in the Observer Cadre, Naval sources told PTI.
The Naval Aviation, for the first time since its inception 56 years ago, has inducted women combatant officers as Observers on board its fleet of maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), they said.
Sub Lieutenants Seema Rani Sharma and Ambica Hooda would be the Navy's first women observers (airborne tacticians). Selected for Short Service Commission, they were initially trained at the Indian Naval Academy for an Orientation Course followed by training at the Observer School located at INS Garuda here.
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